Inside Out
by Kadesh
Summary: Xana has trapped Odd and Aelita in a force field in Lyoko and they lost communication with Jeremy. While they are trapped, Odd discovers that there's more to Aelita than meets the eys, as she tells him of her past. A bit of OddAelita and YumiUlrich
1. The Beginning

**Author Note**: This story probably has mistakes in it and if you find any please let me know. Hope you enjoy it!

**Disclaimer**: Believe it or not, but I don't own Code Lyoko. Don't want to.

"It has been a while since Xana attacked", commented Yumi. The four friends sat on Jeremy's bed talking about Lyoko. "He could be planning a new attack", said Ulrich. "Or he could be on vacation. He has been working overtime lately", added Odd. "I seriously doubt he's on vacation.

But I'll tell Aelita to keep an eye on Lyoko and we'll watch out here for anything strange and unusual", replied Jeremy. "Speaking of strange and unusual, take a look at Sissy's new hairdo!" Odd said looking out the window at Sissy showing off her hairdo. The others joined him at the window and laughed when they saw Sissy's hair.

Aelita sat in a de-activated tower in Lyoko imagining what life would be like in the real world. She imagined the people, the places, and the pulsations? Pulsations. That meant a tower must have been activated somewhere. Immediately, she contacted Jeremy.  
  
"Jeremy, Jeremy", she called. Jeremy's face appeared on the screen and she continued. "I felt some pulsations just now and I think that Xana must be planning to launch another attack. "Nothing is wrong over here though. I've not noticed anything strange yet but I run a scan just to be sure. Hold on a minute............. There's an activated tower in the desert region and it doesn't pose much of a threat."

"I'm in the desert region now and I can see the tower from here. Xana's robots have not appeared yet so I can de-activated it before they get here." "I'll send Odd over just to be safe so hold on for a while."

Jeremy and Odd headed to the factory, while Yumi and Ulrich stayed back at the school in case they were needed there. It was also a good excuse for them to stay together and they decided to go for a walk in the park since everything was fine.  
  
"Virtualization", Jeremy said as Odd virtualized into Lyoko.

Aelita had come out of the tower to meet him and they ran towards the tower. On the way there were two monsters blocked their path. "Get behind me Aelita, I'll handle these guys", Odd said and he shot a laser arrow at each monster.

They de-virtualized and the two heroes continued on their journey. Another obstacle was before them again but this time, it was a force field. "Houston, we have a problem", said Odd as they stopped before the force field.  
  
"I don't know what kind of force field this is but there is a way to get through it. Aelita, it is just like the wall of the towers, so you can phase through it", answered Jeremy. "Okay Jeremy. Odd hold on to my hand and let's go". Odd slightly blushed as he held on to Aelita's hand and they phased through the force field.  
  
"Jeremy, we've made it through," Odd announced but Jeremy didn't answer. 'Is he mad at me' Odd thought to himself.

"Aelita, Odd, are you there? Can you hear me? There must be a problem with the communication's connection." Jeremy said as he got off the chair to check the connection. Everything seemed fine and he went to the computer.  
  
He scanned for any errors and the scanner detected a problem in Lyoko. The force field Odd and Aelita phased through had a virus that messed with the communication. The force field also prevented them from leaving.

"Oh no! They're trapped there!" Jeremy exclaimed to himself. He called Yumi on her cell phone and told her the news. "Do you want me and Ulrich to go to Lyoko?" "No, it won't be necessary. I need to figure out what Xana is up to. He hasn't even attacked us here yet." 'Aelita, Odd, hold on' Jeremy said to himself.

You've read, so review! Thanks.


	2. Aelita's story

**A/N: I decided to make one little change but I had to change the whole story. Hope you like the twist!**

**Disclaimer:** See previous chapter.

Aelita, you're smart so you can tell me what the heck is going on here! Why can't we speak with Jeremy?" Odd questioned Aelita as if she had all the answers.  
  
"You know, I'm not really sure. And it seems this tower is already de- activated. I wonder what Xana is up to." They sat down on the ground pondering their dilemma. Finally Aelita decided that it would be best for them to go into the tower and wait for Jeremy to contact them.

Ulrich and Yumi ran to the factory to give Jeremy some help. When they got there, they found a very beaten-down looking Jeremy resting his head on his arms. He lifted up his head to look at them and Yumi reached out to him and said, "It's okay Jeremy. We'll help you figure out a way to help Odd and Aelita." "She's right and very soon they will free from the force field," Ulrich added.  
  
"Um.... Aelita, no offense but how long are we supposed to sit here waiting? We've already been here for about 2 hours and I think it's time to help ourselves," Odd said.  
  
"You're right Odd." Aelita said and entered the code and tried to find some information on that type of field surrounding them. She came across one article that had some info. It said the field was first created by a Lyokian prince and used in battle as a prison to hold the captives. The advantage to this was that even if you attacked the field from outside, it couldn't break and the only known person who could deactivate the tower was the prince.

Otherwise, the prisoners were doomed to spend the rest of their lives in the force field or as along as the prince decided to hold them.  
  
As Aelita read this, a sudden look of remembrance spread over her face mixed with a feeling of rage and sorrow. "So this means we're trapped", "Yes", Aelita replied still staring off into space. As soon as she recovered, Odd started questioning her on the article and what did it mean by a war in Lyoko. "I thought Lyoko was deserted. How could there have been a war?", he asked Aelita.

"It's about time I explained everything. Lyoko is deserted but it wasn't like this many years ago. Then, Lyoko was a calm peaceful place where one could trust their neighbors and war was just a figment of the imagination. It's a very long story and I'm not sure where to start." Aelita said with a rapturous look on her face, like one remembering the good old days.  
  
"Well, we have all day and even longer. Besides, right now, I wouldn't mind a story." Odd said prepared to hear the story. "Ok then. As I was saying, Lyoko was a peaceful place to live in and was ruled by a king and queen. The throne was to be passed down to the first child regardless if it was a boy or girl and the royal family had twins.

The older was a girl so she was to be the queen when her father handed down the throne. I am that older girl and my twin is Xana."(She ignored Odd's look of surprise and continued with the story).

After being comforted by Ulrich and Yumi Jeremy composed himself. Together, they searched for all the information they could find about the force field but they couldn't find any way to destroy the field. "What are we going to do?", Ulrich asked very concerned about Odd and Aelita. "We just have to wait and see. It's up to Aelita and Odd to figure out somehow to contact us and get out of there. I'm sure Aelita can do it. Till then we need to handle what ever Xana throws at us." Jeremy concluded.

"And we need to cover up for Odd. How can we explain his sudden disappearance?" Yumi asked and they all wondered what to do. "I have an idea! Remember when Xana made a copy of Yumi and then one of me? I can try to make one of Odd!" Jeremy exclaimed. The bell rang and it was time for them to return to their classes. They locked up the factory and headed for their different classes. "I'll get to work tonight. Bye." He called out to his friends. "Goodbye and good luck Jeremy " they replied.

"Sissy?" "Here."

"Ulrich?" "Here."

"Odd?" There was silence and the teacher repeated herself. "Odd? Is he here?"

"No ma'am, he's.... Uhh.... sick", Ulrich answered. "Oh" the teacher said looking suspiciously at Ulrich. 'Odd you owe me one' Ulrich said to himself.

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**Kirakis: I'm glad you like the story. Code Lyoko isn't the best but it's interesting enough.**

**S.Sting: Here's the next chapter!**

**So what did you think? To let me know, please click on that pretty little review button thing. Thank you!**


	3. Awakening

* * *

Hello! I really planned to update sooner but I've been too lazy to do so. I won't promise to update quicker next time but I'll try. 

=flashbacks= "speaking"

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**Disclaimer**: See previous chapter.

**Last time**: "Well, we have all day and even longer. Besides, right now, I wouldn't mind a story." Odd said prepared to hear the story. "Ok then. As I was saying, Lyoko was a peaceful place to live in and was ruled by a king and queen. The throne was to be passed down to the first child

regardless if it was a boy or girl and the royal family had twins. The older was a girl so she was to be the queen when her father handed down the throne. I am that older girl and my twin is Xana." (She ignored Odd's look of surprise and continued with the story).

"And we need to cover up for Odd. How can we explain his sudden disappearance?" Yumi asked and they all wondered what to do. "I have an idea! Remember when Xana made a copy of Yumi and then one of me? I can try to make one of Odd!" Jeremy exclaimed.

* * *

The lights were out in the dorms and not a sound could be heard. Except for the snoring coming from various rooms. Tonight, there was none in Ulrich's room and he lay in his bed (minus the earplugs) thinking about the difference and worrying about his friends trapped in Lyoko. He picked up his cell phone and called Jeremy who had snuck into the factory. "Jeremy, how's it going so far?" 

"Okay, but I still can't reach them. After making a copy of Odd, I'll try to strengthen the communication line so it can get through the field." "That's good. The teachers and the principal are already getting suspicious about Odd. Just promise me that you'll get some rest tonight. You over work yourself."

"I will", Jeremy promised.

* * *

She went on with her story with her expression now even and calm and her voice steady and quiet. But her mind was a pool of different emotions; anger, hurt, and remorse. "I remember one day when we were about four or five and we were playing in meadow behind our castle..." 

="Bet you can't catch me!" yelled a little girl running across the vast meadow, her waist length pink hair waving wildly behind her. A little boy with a darker shade of pink hair ran after her and it was easy to see that the two were twins. "Yes I can!" They chased each other merrily and their laughs echoed across the meadow. =

"We were best of friends when we were younger, but as we got older and Xana realized that I would be the ruler, he started to get jealous of me and hate me. He never spoke to me except to make rude remarks put me down. My father got really worried about him and tried to talk to him but Xana would just get angry and storm off. I also tried to talk to him but he never listened.  
  
=Shouting could be heard across the castle as the King and his son argued yet again. "Why can't I rule? I can do anything just as well as Aelita can!" The young teen standing in front of his father gave his dad a challenging look.

"I know that you are capable of ruling this kingdom just as well as Aelita but that is not the case here. She is older than you so she gets the throne according to the law." His father looked equally angry with his son.

"You are the king and you can change the law, but you won't because you always preferred Aelita to me."

"The way you're acting now isn't the way for any ruler to act. You should learn to be more like Aelita and accept your destiny!"(-My parents tell me that too. Not the destiny part-) With that, the young prince stormed off leaving his father looking very concerned and hurt. =

"A few years later, he just disappeared and wasn't seen for a while. My parents were very worried and they were concerned that it was their fault he turned out like this and ran away. Meanwhile, it was almost time for my father to hand down the throne to me since he was getting older."  
  
Here, Aelita stopped for a while and sat in silence as Odd looked on at her. Then she continued.

* * *

It was almost midnight when two figures were walking down towards the dorms. One was a boy with short blonde hair and glasses. He studied the other boy who had tall spiked hair with a purple streak in it. The boy with shorter hair began to question the other boy. "When were you born", Jeremy asked.  
  
A few minutes later, the two boys entered one of the dorms and quietly headed to a room. Jeremy knocked on the door twice and a voice softly answered. "Jeremy, is that you?" "Yes, and I have a guest here with me." Ulrich opened the door and he stood face to face with Jeremy. And Odd. 

"Come in." Odd entered the room and sat on his bed. He promptly laid his head down and fell asleep snoring loudly.

"He sure acts exactly like Odd", Ulrich commented. "How did you do it?"

"It really was quite easy and I was surprised myself. I was able to give him Odd's character traits and behaviors. But there was a problem in the process and so he can't remember past a month ago."

"At least now you can concentrate on strengthening the communication. You need to head to your room right now and get some rest."

"I guess you're right" Jeremy yawned and closed his eyes sleepily. " Goodnight."

"Goodnight." Ulrich put his earplugs in his ears and went to his bed.

* * *

The flashbacks might be a bit confusing and I apologize if it is but it was easier to tell the story that way. 

And thanks to **Kiriakis, S.Sting and CodeLyoko** for the reviews!

Review please!

** Sedigrl** (I may be changing my name soon)


	4. Enter: Lorna

**Disclaimer**: See one of the previous chapters.

---: : : --- _means _scene change

**_-_: :-**_ means _flashback

-----**Chapter 4 Enter: Lorna**-----

"While Xana was gone my uncle died leaving behind his orphaned child, Lorna. She was about eight at the time and my parents adopted her."

**_-_: :-**Aelita looked out the window of her room in the elegant and huge stonewalls of the castle. A young girl with long ebony-black hair walked towards the castle doors, her luggage behind her. 'If only she'd turn her head slightly, I could see her face'. Aelita had only met her cousin once when they were still young.

As the girl entered the castle, the teen princess went down to meet her. "Hi, Lorna! You might not remember me because the last time we met, you were just one."

Lorna muttered something along the lines of "Hello. Nice to meet you," and she lifted up her bowed head to look at her cousin.

She was small for her age and her timid attitude didn't help much. But when she raised her head Aelita could sense that she had gone through a lot in her few years of life. Lorna's cloudy gray eyes held a deep sorrow that the princess supposed was from the death of her father. She led Lorna to meet her parents and unpack her things.**_-_: :-**

----------: : : : : ----------

"Rrrriiiinnnnggg!" Everywhere, students hurried out of their classes not wanting to spend any more of their weekend in there. Among the crowd were Jeremy, Ulrich and Odd heading towards Yumi's class. They chatted lightly as they walked and met up with Yumi. 

"Are you ready, Ulrich," Yumi asked with her cheeks burning red.

"Yes," and in way of an explanation to Jeremy and Odd, Ulrich added, "we got permission to go out today. I'm spending the weekend with Yumi."

Jeremy smiled and nodded knowingly. "I'll be a bit busy myself. I still have some work to do on Lyoko." At the mention of the word 'Lyoko' Odd started ever so slightly that it went unnoticed. He wrinkled his brow as if in deep thought but his trail of thought was cut off as Jeremy directed a question to him. "What will you do Odd? You might get a little lonely while I'm working."

"Oh, I'll just find something to do. No problem." And he gave his typical Odd grin. The group scattered as they said goodbye and headed to their various places.

----------: : : : : ----------

Back on Lyoko, Aelita interupted her story to stare at something in the air. Odd (the _real_ Odd) frowned and said softly, "You really don't need to go on with the story. I know it brings back some memories for you."

"No really, it's...ok. Who knows but some information may come in handy." She turned to him and smiled. "Besides, we have nothing else to do since the only way to get out of here is if Jeremy does something. And I'm sure he is right now." She sighed and continued with her story.

"My parents and I loved Lorna from the begining. She was so sweet and kind to everyone and soon she was a favorite around the castle. I think the reason my parents liked her so much was because she eased the pain of my brother's absence. But since the first night she came, she always had bad nightmares.

**_-_: :-**The silence on the third floor of the castle was disturbed by a resounding wail across Aelita's room. She rushed out and headed towards the room the sound was coming from. Lorna was curled up on her bed shivering with her covers thrown about her. Sweat and tears mingled and rolled carelessly down her face.

Aelita held her and tried to comfort her and her efforts finally worked. As the little girl woke up, her face was still wet and her shivering reduced. When she saw Aelita, she calmed down and tried to talk. Her attempts ended in little mutterings which only the words 'daddy' and 'daggers' could be understood.

She finally fell back asleep with a serene look on her face and left Aelita confused.**_-_: :-**

"The next morning, I asked her what her nightmare was and she just said it was not much and I shouldn't worry. I tried not to worry but the nightmares continued every night and Lorna would never tell what they were about."

----------: : : : : ----------

Jeremy sat in his room working on his computer (as usual) and saying random things to himself. "One more code and....yes!", he exclaimed as the screen buzzed loudly and an image of Aelita and Odd appeared on his screen. "Aelita, Odd, can you hear me?"

Aelita turned her head towards him and Odd did the same too. Their expressions brightened when they saw Jeremy. "Jeremy!" She smiled at Jeremy who was simply delighted.

"Have you found out anything about he force field yet?"

"Yes, and I'm afraid there isn't much we can do." Aelita shared the info with him.

"There has to be a way to help you and Odd. Xana might attack soon and we will need your help to shut down the tower. And I don't want anything bad happening to you." He blushed and Odd cleared his throat a little too loudly, spoiling the tender moment. "And Odd."

The boy genius took a few moments to think and then said,"just wait a bit longer and I'll get you out before-" the screen buzzed again and went blank.

**-----------------------**

**A/N**: Long time! But what really matters is that I updated, right? And I know this chapter is a bit rushed but bear with me please!

I have a few things to clear up. I'm not sure if Lyoko has night and day but in this story it doesn't so Aelita's narrative will just keep going like it's afternoon all day. Also, Aelita is somewhere around 15 years old when the story she's telling happens but the it time span is more than a year so she's supposed to be about 17 right now. Obvioulsly, she's not so I'm assuming that after Lyoko gets destroyed, her age is tampered with and she is a few years younger. I hope that clears a few things for you. Oh, does anyone know the name of their school? I never caught that.

And for reviews!

**cat girl**- I really encourage you to write a story and I'm glad you like mine. Just keep reviewing! **S.Sting**- wait no more for the next chapter is here! **Trake**- I say it depends on what kind of cheese. **Kiriakis**- Personal experience comes in handy! Not very pleasant though. **CodeLyoko**- thank you. And the next update should be in about 3 weeks. Maybe... **Kimiki-Raven**-I'm glad you like it. Nice penname! **Feyenal Dragon**- I'll try to update more but I'm just so lazy sometimes. At least I try.

Thanks to those who reviewed. Review again!


	5. The beginning of the end

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Code: Lyoko and I don't want to.

"blah" _talking_

----: : : ----- _scene change_

:::::: _**Chapter 5** **: The beginning of the end**. _::::::

* * *

Ulrich and Yumi had taken their seats in the theater and talked while they waited for the movie to begin. 

"Umm, where do you want to eat after the movie?"

"We can eat at my house. I asked my mom to make some Japanese food." Here, Ulrich looked surprised and Yumi hastily added, "that is, if you want to."

"Sure, I'd love to! I just don't want your parents to bother themselves too much. It is really nice of them to let me stay at your house."

"Oh, my parents don't mind. They're eager to meet you and I'm sure they'll like you. They just smile and act as if we're, umm, getting married or something." Yumi turned her face to the screen glad that the movie had begun and tried to hide her burning cheeks.

Ulrich, his cheeks also red, did the same and they concentrated hard on the movie trying to forget the remark Yumi just made. But soon, the picture began to turn fuzzy and finally died down. People all across the theater started whispering, puzzled as to why the movie stopped.

Suddenly, the whispering hushed as a symbol like an eye appeared on the screen. Now, people talked louder even more puzzled by the eye.

Yumi gasped softly next to Ulrich. They both exchanged glances and Ulrich took out his cell phone.

"Jeremy, we have a problem!"

----------: : : : : ----------

Back at Cadic (Kadic?) Jr. high, Jeremy was working on his computer as usual. Except for the sad smile on his face, one would say all was well with him. His thoughts drifted off to Aelita and his smile dropped a bit. Shaking off his thoughts, he returned to his work.

Meanwhile, the rest of Cadic Jr. high was empty with the exception of a few kids, including Herb and Nicholas. Right at that moment, they were trying to calm down a very mad and dressed up Sissy. Her fists were balled up and she stamped her high-heeled foot in anger. "Where is Ulrich?!"

She marched off towards Ulrich and Odd's room with Herb and Nicholas right behind her. "Ulrich, Ulrich dear, it's time for our date," She called into the empty room. "Where is he? He promised to be here at one and it's already one-thirty."

"Uh, Sissy, I saw him leave with that girl this morning. They got permission from your dad to go out and—ahhh!" Herb broke off screaming as Sissy jerked his hand and led him away from Ulrich and Odd's room.

"Why didn't you say so earlier? I'll make sure Ulrich regrets this!" -1-

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His computer just wouldn't work and he tried over and over to fix it. Finally, Jeremy gave up and decided to use the super computer instead, so headed for the factory. As he was leaving, he saw the symbol of an eye on his computer and he stared wide-eyed. "No! Not now!"

Jeremy grabbed his cell phone and ran straight to the factory. In the scanner room, he stopped short as he heard two voices, one of which he recognized.

----------: : : : : ----------

Anyone who happened to be in the park that day, would have noticed a figure that slipped out of the school grounds and headed into the shadows. It walked briskly and headed to the middle of the park, among the trees. Then, they would have noticed that it disappeared. But on a closer look, you would see that it merely entered a well-hidden trap door in the ground.

After a few minutes, it appeared on the other side of a bridge and went into an abandoned factory. Once it was in the factory, the figure seemed to know it's way around and headed directly to a room with a huge computer.

It sat down and began typing some words until the symbol of an eye appeared on the screen then turned into the image of a boy in his late teens. This teenager looked like no ordinary teenager with his long, dark pink hair that reached his shoulders, pointy elf-like ears with two hoops in one ear, bright green sharp eyes and markings like triangles under each eye.

"It's about time," he said with a smirk on his face, which was a bit covered by stray strands of hair.

"Yes, it is," replied the figure. "And we've waited for too long. Let's get started! What's your plan?"

"The plan is this: we start with Lyoko and move out. This should be too easy since I've trapped that fool and her boyfriend in Lyoko." The two shared a hearty laugh like old friends laughing over a joke.

"So what have you been doing with your life all these years?" the figure asked the boy.

"After the war, I wandered around a bit and decided to continue my plan. Since then I've been doing the usual." Here, they both laughed again and the boy asked "What about you?"

"Just about the same thing as you. I also wandered and tried to continue the plan but I couldn't, so I went back to wandering deep in Lyoko."

"It's a surpise we didn't run into each other. Not such a small world after all, huh?"

"I guess not. Where are did the others go?"

"You mean the others in our group? I think they got destroyed or banished. Not one of them is alive."

Both were quite for a few seconds thinking about their lost friends. The teenage boy hardened his expression and said in a low voice,

"But we'll get revenge for them! We won't let their deaths go unlamented."

They continued talking and catching up on old times when they stopped and heard the ringing of a cell phone. The figure got out of the chair and headed towards the door very silently. -2-

---------: : : : : ----------

"It shouldn't be long till we get out of here," Aelita commented after they talked with Jeremy.

"I just hope Xana doesn't decide to attack now. Einstein already has his hands full without worrying about Xana attacks." Odd and Aelita were both quiet for a moment thinking about their friends back in the real world.

"Ever since we met you, Jeremy has been working his butt of, to get you out of here. I never really understood why he cared so much but I think I do now." Aelita turned to face Odd with a surprised yet embarrassed look on her face.

"I didn't want to be a burden to Jeremy but he offered to help and I couldn't refuse. I can understand if you don't like me and—"

"No, that's not it. I do like you a lot. I mean uh like a friend but I just never really knew how much you went through." Odd blushed at his mistake and went on, "It must be really lonely staying here by yourself. I remember how happy you were when you came to the real world."

"It was just what I've always wished for. Whenever I feel alone, I remember all the wonderful things I did on earth like eating, sleeping, and breathing." Odd laughed at her comment.

"If you think those things were wonderful, you'll love many more things in our world. When you come there, remind me to show you what real fun is. I'll take you to the park, and then we can see a movie, and..."

Odd went on listing all the things they would do together while Aelita smiled at him and asked questions like "what is a movie" and "how many kinds of food are there."

Their happy chatter was cut off when they heard a big explosion somewhere around them.

* * *

Authors Notes: There are probably some confusing things in this chapter if there's something you don't understand, just let me know and I'll clear it up for you. 

-1- This whole Sissy scene might seem useless (and it is sort of) but if you look hard enough you may actually get some clues about some characters in this chapter.

-2- This is another scene that is full of clues and it has a bit of a spoiler too. But you've probably already figured out who the pink haired dude is.

And now, for the reviews!

**MystDragon2k**- thanks for the rating and the fyi. Can you do me a favor and leave a rating in your reviews? I'd really appreciate it! **Siberian-Tigress**- here's a chapter just for you! **Warrior Pixie**- I also love detailed stories cuz I'm a visual person but I not so good at writing it and I almost cut out a lot of the descriptions. **Trake**- you know dragons aren't better! Phoenixs are. **FeyenalDragon**- I did promise to add some Odd/Aelita to this and I was saving it for later, but I added some and I hope you liked it! **Shae**- I hardly re-read my chapters but I did now and hopefully, it's a lot eaiser to understand. **Kimiki-Raven**- thanks for telling me the name of their school! I try to use my over-active imagination in the story and I'm glad you like my writing!

Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed or just read! And for those of you who like Odd/Aelita, thank **FeyenalDragon**!


	6. Enter: Lehi

I do not own Code: Lyoko but I do own Lehi, Lorna, the king and queen. And I'm willing to share!...sort of.

--:: -- _italics _--:: -- flashback

----: : : : ----- scene change

* * *

Chapter 6: Enter: Lehi

"What on earth was that?" Odd asked Aelita. They turned towards the direction of the tower but of course, they couldn't see out of it.

"It could be some of Xana's monsters but as were trapped in here, there is nothing we can do about it." Aelita sighed helplessly but then brightened up. "Jeremy is probably working on a way to get us out right at this moment."

"Yeah, he probably is," Odd, replied.

They were both silent for a few more moments and Aelita spoke up. "I feel so helpless sitting here in the tower waiting for Jeremy to help us." She sat down and looked at Odd. Again, she was silent.

"Uh, Aelita, can you continue with your story? I believe you left off when your cousin came to live with you."

"Oh, yes, I'll continue." She paused for a breath and continued. "Lorna had been in the castle now for about five months and her nightmares (-1-) had become much less frequent but an even greater event took place around that time; my brother came back…

--:: -_The teen princess sat in her tower room with Lorna next to her, and they looked out the window." I can see the market from here! There are so many people today," Lorna commented. From the window they could see most of Lyoko and all it's people. "I've never seen those two people before, though." Lorna pointed at two travelers who were walking towards the castle._

_They were both dressed like travelers with bags on their shoulders. As they came closer Aelita looked at them and suddenly gasped. _

_She ran out of the room and left Lorna looking confused for a moment but she then ran after Aelita._

_Lorna followed Aelita through the castle and glanced apologetically at the servant whom Aelita had run into in her haste. When they got outside, the travelers were at the gates and Aelita suddenly stopped. Lorna stopped just in time to prevent herself from running into Aelita._

"_Xana, you came back!" Aelita was so excited to see her brother and she moved towards him but stopped again remembering that her brother might not be so glad to see her again. _

"_Yes I did Aelita, and I'm glad to see you!" Hearing this, Aelita lost all doubt and ran into her brother's out-stretched arms._

"_Mother and father have been so worried about you but I know they'll forgive you. Oh, it's good to see you again."_

"_I'm surprised you missed me after the way I treated you. I'm so sorry."_

_Aelita looked up at her brother and saw that he was truly sincere. Wherever he had been surely changed him. "Of course I forgive you." Her gaze shifted to the other traveler whom she still didn't recognize. _

_He was tall and had long, dark, hair held together in the back. A few strands hung loose in his dark face and dark blue eyes. He did have the typical pointed Lyokan ears with a hoop at the end of one ear, but he didn't have markings on his face. _

_Xana saw her look at the other man and guessed her thoughts. "This is my companion and partner, Lehi. I met him a little while after I left."_

_Lehi smiled extended his hand towards Aelita who shook it. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Princess. Your brother has told me much about you." Aelita smiled back at him. " And who is that behind you?"_

"_This is my cousin, Lorna. Her parents were killed so she's staying here with us." Lorna timidly walked up said hello to Lehi and Xana. She seemed rather afraid of them but she was polite._

_By then, some servants came up to help Xana and Lehi with their few things and led them inside. _**-: :-**

"My parents were delighted to get their son back and readily forgave him when he apologized. They also accepted Lehi who was like a brother and friend to Xana. In honor of his return, they held a great party and invited different people from all over…

**-: :- **_The castle was full of people; there were maids bustling around, ladies with the dresses sweeping the floors as they moved, and men chatting and showing off their non-existent skills. Amid all this confusion, the Prince of Lyoko and his friend were the center of attention. _

_Once the King and Queen arose, the hall settled down and everyone turned to listen._

"_Citizens and associates of Lyoko, it is with great pleasure that I hold this party in honor of my son who has returned." Applause filled the air as Xana rose with Lehi by his side, to speak to the people._

"_I know I have failed everyone by my previous reckless behavior, but I can assure you that I have changed and will serve Lyoko as its prince." Again there was applause and the party began. _

_Aelita and Lorna were also among the crowd but soon got separated as some men came up to ask Aelita to dance. _

_She did look especially beautiful that day with her pink hair piled in curls on her head. Her dress was long and dark red with a few ruffles here and there, and a small necklace with a green jewel that matched her eyes._

_After a few dances, she decided to find Lorna and Xana. Lorna was easy to spot since she was at a corner waiting for Aelita. Xana was nowhere to be found so Aelita gave up looking for him and returned to the party. _**-: :-**

**----------**: : : : : ----------

Jeremy held his breath as his phone rang. 'Darn it! Not now of all times.' As he was finishing his train of thought he felt a hand close over his mouth. He was led into the scanner room and couldn't believe what he saw; everything in the room was in tact but on the computer screen he saw a teenager with a smirk on his face.

'He looks so familiar but I know I've never met him before.' Then realization hit him. 'Aelita! He resembles Aelita.'

"Good job Lehi, you've found our spy." Jeremy's mouth was freed and he was roughly placed in a chair.

It was then Jeremy really looked at the person who had captured him. It was Odd, or rather, the replica of Odd.

Once his mouth was free, Jeremy asked the boy on the screen, "who are you and what are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same," came the reply. "I'm Xana"

"And I'm Lehi," replied the person who had previously found him. Seeing the confused look on Jeremy's face, the boy continued. "When you were downloading Odd's memories into this body, I infected the system and I downloaded myself too. So I'm stuck in his miserable body till I can get myself free and you're going to help me."

----------: : : : : ----------

"Jeremy! Jeremy please pick up!" Ulrich desperately called into the phone. He turned to Yumi who had worry written all over her face. "Something must be wrong with him. I know he has his cell phone with him but he's not picking up."

"Then we need to find him in case something is wrong with him."

"I'm so sorry we have to end our date like this but promise I'll make this up to you as soon as I can."

"Ulrich, don't worry about it. This isn't your fault. Right now, we need to find out where Jeremy is and figure out what's going on. He needs us now. " Yumi smiled at Ulrich and he smiled back.

"You're right, Yumi. Let's go." And they both headed towards the school to find Jeremy.

* * *

**-1-** Code:lyokomaster mentioned that sinceI said that there is no nighton Lyoko, Lorna shouldn't be able to have nightmares. That is a very good point and I'm afraid Icontradicted myself so let me try to clear this up. In the present, there is no night but in the past,thereis night. As the story goes on, you'll understand why. But any way you look at it, I still contradict myself so bear with an amateur like me!

Ok, for the reviews!

**MystDragon2k**- you are welcome. Lol. I think most people caught on to Aelita's brother. At least I hope so! **FeyenalDragon**- I'm glad you reminded me about that. I tend to forget things easily. And you're welcome! **Sliver Taurus**- thank you very much for the fyi. I appreciate it. **Code:lyokomaster**- It's lucky you caught my mistake there or else many people may have been confused. And don't be surprised if I take you up on your offer! **Trake**- you are always lazy. And no hugs this time, I promise! **Unknownyumi**- Yay I have a 9.5!!! I'm so happy you like this even though it is jumpy. I hope this chapter was better though. **Kiriakis**- I'm so glad to hear from you again! I'm not really a big fluff writer so I may not add much more. Or I might...

Thanks to everyone who reviewed. Or didn't... But thanks anyway!


	7. The Symbol of the eye

Disclaimer: I do not own Code: Lyoko.

Chapter 7: The Symbol of the Eye 

----------

"My brother really did seem so changed; he respected our parents and was all around a wonderful son. It also seemed that he had finally accepted the fact that I would rule Lyoko, and he was okay with it.

"Lehi also settled easily. He really was a kind and interesting person and soon, everyone at the castle loved him too. Even my parents treated him like a son. The only person who didn't like either of them was Lorna. She was a bit afraid of them."

"I remembered that you mentioned a war in Lyoko." Odd interrupted.

"Yes, that comes next. It began about five months after Xana came back." Aelita answered.

"What caused the war?"

There was a brief silence in which the expression on the princess' face turned from tranquil and re-collective to disdain and contempt. Odd was surprised at the sudden uncharacteristic change in his friend.

"Who. You mean, who caused the war." She was silent again with contempt still written on her face. "It was Xana."

"But I thought you said that he changed."

"That's what we thought too. And it cost some lives. But before then, I suppose we had reasons to suspect that something was wrong. Like the way Xana and Lehi would disappear for a few hours and then return, with no one ever knowing where they had been. I think Lorna had the most reason to dislike them..."

_:::-----::: Lorna sat by the window in Aelita's room, looking at the streets below her but not really seeing them. Since the time she had been in the castle she had changed quite a bit but she still had a heavy weight about her. She brushed a strand of her ebony hair from her face and her gray eyes clouded with tears as she thought of her father. She never told anyone what had really happened to her father that day because she wasn't even sure it happened. After an autopsy had been done on her father, they still couldn't find out what happened and concluded that it must have been sickness. But her memories and her dreams suggested otherwise._

_In them, she was back at home with her dad and everything was all right until two strangers visited them. They were obviously male and were dressed alike with loose black pants and long sleeved black shirts. Their shirts had a dark red logo of sorts on the front that looked like a circle or an eye. No weapons were visible on either of them, so Lorna's father wasn't too worried of the nature of their visit._

_One of the men spoke to Lorna's dad and his voice suggested that he was below twenty. 'You are Duke Edmond?' The Duke nodded his head and the speaker turned to look at Lorna who was standing by her father._

_When he looked at her, Lorna couldn't tell his expression due to the mask sculptured on his face. After looking at her he turned to his partner and an unspoken agreement was reached between them._

_The Duke motioned for his daughter to leave and she obediently did. As she was leaving, she could hear the men saying that they had some urgent things to discuss with her father. For almost an hour, Lorna sat in her room waiting for her dad to be finished. At last, she could see the strangers fading into the darkness through her window and she ran to meet her father. When she saw him, she stifled a gasp and fell to the floor, her face almost as white as the dead on beside her..:::-----:::_

----------

There were people everywhere all talking about the phenomenon with the eye symbol and Ulrich and Yumi had a hard time getting to the school. When they finally reached the school, they searched everywhere for Jeremy but couldn't find him. Then, deciding that the only other place he could be was at the factory, they started towards there.

There was just one slight problem; Sissy had spotted them and was heading towards them. For once, she was Herb/Nicholas free.

"Not now of all times!" Ulrich exclaimed as Sissy reached them.

"Hey Ulrich!" She completely ignored Yumi and latched her arm on to Ulrich's. He groaned softly and rolled his eyes as Sissy began talking, still taking no notice of Yumi's presence.

"Did you hear what happened? I was trying to call Theo" she snuck a glance at her captive, perhaps to see if he was jealous of Theo "but my cell phone wouldn't work so I went to ask my dad if I could use his. He was watching TV and when I entered, it turned fuzzy and this ugly eye appeared on the screen. I was so shocked!" She ended with a dramatic clutching of her heart in horror.

There is only so much a girl can take and Yumi just had it with Sissy. "Are you sure it wasn't your reflection Sissy?" Overly sugared sweetness just oozed with every word Yumi said, but the venom was still very strong.

Sissy huffed and finally acknowledged Yumi's presence. "You're just jealous that Ulrich likes me better" (Poor child, what planet is she living on?) "But who can blame him; you're not much to look at." A smirk and a toss of her hair in Ulrich's face, accompanied the remark.

There is only so much a boy can take and Ulrich just had it with Sissy.

"That's enough from you, Sissy! AND GET YOUR HAND OFF ME!" Sissy quickly withdrew her hand from him, surprised by the outburst.

"Oh, Sissy" the singsong voice was still dripping with sweetness "I think I hear Theo calling. And stay away from TVs and mirrors!"

She huffed again and marched off but then turned around to face the pair. "Ulrich, you'll be sorry!"

"I am. That I didn't send you away sooner." Turning to Yumi he said, "let's go. She has wasted enough time already."

And they continued to head towards the factory.

----------

His brain was working quickly as he examined his situation. 'Ok, how did I get myself into this mess? That's not important right now! How do I get myself out?'

"I didn't say you had a choice in this matter. I said you will help me."

The command in the speaker's voice told Jeremy that escape could wait till later. Survival was of the utmost importance.

"I need time to find out a way to fix this and it might take a while so-" he was cut off by the boy on the screen.

"We don't have time! I have many things to take care of. Besides, I already know what to do, but as I'm still virtual you need to do this. Just follow my directions and we will be done in a matter of minutes." Xana gave Jeremy a look, which convinced him that his safety was not important to Xana.

Lehi entered one of the pods and Xana began giving instructions. About seven minutes later, the preparations were complete and Lehi was ready to be changed. "Okay, now!" Xana commanded and Jeremy began the process. Lehi's eyes were shut as the pod was filled with a smoke-like substance. He began to levitate in the pod, as Jeremy and Xana watched.

Soon, it was filled completely with the substance and they couldn't see into it anymore.

The pod opened and the substance cleared. In place of Odd stood a taller teenage boy, with long black hair held together in the back, dark navy blue eyes and a big grin on his face.

* * *

Author's Note: Two words: winter break!  
Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter and those(coughFeyenalDragoncough) who reminded me to update. Consider this your late Christmas present. :) 


	8. Mountain Region

Disclaimer: I do not own Code Lyoko

Author's Note: Contrary to popular belief, I'm still alive and here's the next chapter! I know it's short but it is still something, no?

* * *

Chapter 8: Journey to the Mountain Region

-

"It's good to be back. I was really getting sick of that body." Lehi, now in his proper form, stepped out of the pod and turned to address his friend, "you can now go ahead with the plans. I'll stay here and see to everything else."

The pink haired lad nodded his consent and reminded his friend, "Don't forget to get the others." His form disappeared from the screen and Lehi turned to face Jeremy. The blond boy summed up his courage to ask the lad in front of him, "Where did he just go to?"

Lehi just smiled again and simply said, "To see to matters in Lyoko. Maybe he'll bring his sister back with him."

-

"Soon after the war started, Lyoko was in ruins. My brother had a well-trained army and since Lyoko wasn't a fighting kingdom, our army wasn't as good as theirs. He destroyed every city in his path, not sparing anything or anyone.

"I remember that I would look from my window and see the soldiers fighting and I wished I could do something to save our kingdom. Our soldiers did their best to hold off Xana's army but they were no match for his skilled soldiers and their advanced weapons. I tried to convince my parents to let me fight but they wouldn't hear of it. So, I decided to seek help from Merari, a fighter who lived in the mountain region far from Lyoko."

"So you decided to fight Xana's army by yourself?" Odd arched his brow in disbelief.

"Well, I just couldn't sit there and watch my kingdom go to ruins like that. I had to do something and so, I left for the mountain region…"

_- The princess packed some necessities in a small traveling bag and threw one last look at her home. If she didn't make it, this dear place would be destroyed and so would she. Tears came to her eyes as she remembered the times she had spent in the castle and the meadows about it, playing with her brother. 'I will not let Xana destroy my home!'_

_Aelita wiped her tears and finished her packing, determination ringing in her movements. She heard footsteps in the hall outside her room and held her breath as she waited for them to cease. After making sure no one could see her, the teen stealthily snuck out of the palace and made her way north, toward the mountain region, unaware of the person following her.-_

_-_

When the couple reached the factory, Ulrich decided to call Jeremy again. This time he received an answer. "Jeremy! What happened? Are you okay? I tried to call you a while ago but you didn't answer and—"

"Ulrich, slow down, I'm alright. It's a long story that I'll tell you some other time. Right now, I need you to come to the scanner room." Jeremy's voice sounded a bit odd but Ulrich ignored that.

"Yumi and I are already in the factory. We're on our way." Ulrich calmed down after hearing that his friend was fine and didn't hesitate to make his way to the scanner room.

About a minute later, Ulrich and Yumi stood in the doorway of the scanner room. In front of them stood Lehi, his ever-present smirk in place, and behind Lehi was Jeremy with an apologetic look. They were trapped.

-

_- "Lorna, where do you think you're going to?" Aelita had finally perceived that someone was following her and caught her little cousin some yards behind her._

"_I don't know. Where are you going?" Lorna braced herself for the on-coming lecture._

"_Do you realize how dangerous it is, sneaking out of the castle when there's a war going on? What if you got lost and Xana's soldiers found you? They could've hurt you or even worse—"_

"_But, Aelita, I'm fine. Besides, you snuck out too. I heard you packing and I decided to follow you. Where are you going? Whereever it is, I'm following you."_

_Aelita smiled down at her cousin, ignoring the last question. "Okay, you caught me. But you can't come with me. It's too dangerous."_

"_You still didn't tell me where you're going," Lorna replied. Whatever it took, she was determined to go with Aelita._

" _If you really want to know, I'm going to the mountain region."_

"_Why?"_

"_It's not important."_

"_Yes it is." _

"_But you don't need to know."_

"_Yes, I do."_

"_No, you don't."_

"_Yes, I do."_

"_No, you don't." Aelita crossed her arms across her chest, and tried to look stern. "And that's final."_

_Lorna put her head down in submission and turned to walk back. Shelooked back at the older girl and said, "Well, aren't you coming? You don't expect me to go back by myself with all those soldiers around, do you?" _

_Aelita pondered this for a moment. If she went back with Lorna, she wouldn't be able to get to her destination on time. And Lorna would tell the King and Queen. On the other hand, if she let Lorna go back by herself, she really could get hurt._

"_Oh, fine! You win. You can come with me." Lorna ran towards Aelita and they both headed to the mountain region._

"_Aelita, why are we running away?" -_

-

"So, Lorna and I went to the mountains and I trained with Merari for three months. I learned how to fight and do a few tricks, like this." She stopped talking for a moment and closed her eyes with her hands together as in prayer. She hummed and Odd was lifted off the ground.

"I didn't know you could lift people!" Odd was gently dropped on the ground and Aelita opened her eyes. "What else did you learn?"

As Aelita and Odd were talking, they heard someone entering the tower. At first, Odd thought it was Jeremy but the princess reminded him that Jeremy couldn't enter towers. "Besides, the shield is still up and no one can break it."

They saw the body of a teenage boy enter through the tower walls, and when his face became visible, Aelita added, "Except Xana."

"Hey, big sis." The boy grinned at his stunned sister.

* * *

**Linii-chan**- Sissy just declared in her mind that they were going out. She's weird that way. I hope you liked this chapter! 

**DemonicDragon of Ra**- I know a lot of people in band but I'm not in band. I play the violin. As for the fluff, it's still on the way. And, did you have fun at Phoenix? Sounds like you did!

**Ginny-hates-them**- It would be nice to go to their school! Only problem is, I don't speak french.

**Trake**- WEIRDO!

**DON'TCARE**- That _would_ be fun... hmm..I'll see what I can do.

Thanks for reviewing!


	9. The LongAwaited Chapter

**Author's Apology: **I'd like to say that I've returned from hybernation, but I haven't been hybernating. I'd actually been overcome by a heavy dose of laziness, which **DemonicDragon of Ra **has been kind enough to dispell with some, uh, threats. Also, thanks to everyone else who has been 'patiently' waiting for this chapter. You guys rock! So without further ado, here's the next chapter!

**Dedicated to:** DemonicDragon of Ra

**Disclaimers**: are unnecessary. Nevertheless, I don't own Code Lyoko, you don't own Code Lyoko, let's leave it at that.

-----

Aelita chose to disregard Xana's greeting and glared at him instead. "What do you want?" Xana ignored his sister and walked towards the screen in the tower. For a few moments, Aelita and Odd watched him as he busied himself with the screen. Finishing, he turned toward his spectators and the screen buzzed to life.

Yumi, Ulrich, and Jeremy appeared on the screen along with another boy Odd had never seen before. But Aelita instantly recognized her brother's friend and accomplice.

"Yumi! Ulrich! Jeremy! It's been so long!" "Odd! I've never been happier to see you!" "Hey!" The five friends excitedly called out to each other, momentarily forgetting their situation.

"There'll be enough time for hellos later," Xana cut in, "but right now, we have more important matters to see to. In a few minutes I'll be able to release monsters from Lyoko into the real world and you can imagine what will happen after that."

"You're just bluffing. It will take more than a few minutes to transfer all the monsters in Lyoko to the real world," Jeremy replied. "Besides, we don't have enough pods to take all of them."

"You're right on all points but you're forgetting something. I now have control of every technological device in your world and I'm currently breaking down the barriers between both worlds."

"So that's why all the cell phones and TVs have been malfunctioning!" said Yumi.

"Yes, and that's how I'm going to release the monsters." Xana said with pleasure on his face.

"But that's impossible!" Jeremy returned.

"I've been stuck here in Lyoko, longer than I care to remember," with a pointed look at his sister, "I've had a lot of free time."

-----

As the roundabout discussion went on, Ulrich had come up with an idea and he got Yumi's attention and whispered the plan to her. Nodding, Yumi slowly made her way toward Lehi as he conversed with Xana.

"Now, Yumi!" At Ulrich's command Yumi lunged at Lehi, ready to strike him. He turned ready, and countered Yumi's attack.

"Maybe I'll enjoy this fight after all. Bring it!" Yumi got ready and the fight began.

-----

While Yumi took care of Lehi, Ulrich ran to Jeremy. "Jeremy, can you transport me into Lyoko? I can try to stop the monsters from there."

"Lehi messed with the computer so it might take a while to get the program going again. Just give me a few minutes." Jeremy was already on the computer, his fingers flying over the keyboard, breaking their connection with Odd and Aelita.

But it was too late.

Outside the warehouse, people watched in fascination as a black haze settled over the atmosphere. When the haze lifted, their fascination turned to terror as mechanical monsters materialized all around them. The streets filled as many ran out of their houses to get away from the monsters in their homes.

--In Lyoko--

"Look, sister. The monsters have already begun to take over Earth. In a matter of hours, I'll be able to accomplish what you never could in all your life, what our father could never do! I'll have Earth and Lyoko!" Xana had worked himself into a frenzy by then, and his older sister looked equally angered.

"It was never our parents' desire to take over Earth. Lyoko was a peaceful kingdom until you decided to destroy it!" She shot back at her brother, but the teen princess wasn't done. "Even if you do succeed in taking over Earth, how long will it last? Your kingdom will crumble and you'll lose control. You'll never be as great a ruler as our father was!"

At her last remark, Xana's face contorted in fury and he shouted back at her. "Don't ever compare me to him! I'll be a stronger ruler than he ever was!" Deciding that yelling wasn't enough, he rushed at his sister, ready to strike her. Odd, sensing his intentions stepped pulled Aelita behind him and was able to counter Xana's attack in time.

"Don't EVER touch her!" Odd's voice sounded cold and his face mirrored his tone, his arm still around the princess. Aelita lightly touched his arm and urged him to leave Xana alone, but Odd would not hear of it.

He turned to face her and said, "Aelita, he almost hit you! I won't let him get away with that" and he broke away from Aelita and went up to Xana.

"So you're challenging me? This should be interesting. I'll even let you go first." Xana got into a defensive posture and urged the blond to attack him. Odd didn't need a second invitation and lunged at the pink-haired boy.

--At the warehouse--

"That was too easy." Yumi had finished with Lehi and he lay sprawled on the ground. She peered into his unconscious face for a moment, and then turned away. "He looked tough and I expected more of a challenge."

"I knew he was just full of hot air," Ulrich told Yumi. He gave her a big smile and she tried to hide her blush as she joined the two boys at the computer.

"I'm done!" Jeremy exclaimed. "Okay Ulrich, you can get into the pod now. Wait a minute, this is odd."

Ulrich and Yumi went closer to the computer to see what Jeremy was pointing at. The screen showed cards for Yumi, Ulrich, Odd, and the monsters on Lyoko. But as the teens watched, the cards for the monsters seemed to disappear off the screen.

"What does that mean?" Yumi inquired.

"It must mean that what Xana said was true. The monsters must be appearing in the real world by now! At this rate, it shouldn't be too long before everywhere will be thrown into chaos."

"Then isn't it too late to go to Lyoko?"

"No, it isn't. Ulrich, you can try to hold off the monsters in Lyoko for as long as you can. Yumi, you'll stay here and fight the monsters here. I'll try to figure out a way to block the monsters."

"Roger, Einstein.," Ulrich said, stepping into one of the pods. Yumi ran out of the room and back to their school.

"Be careful, Ulrich. Xana may have stronger monsters now. I also have a bad feeling that something is really wrong with Lyoko."

"You mean, besides the fact that Xana has now shown himself in human form?" Ulrich smiled reassuringly at his friend. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. And you take care of yourself too."

Jeremy returned the smile and reassured the dark haired boy, "I will. Everything should be back to normal soon." But he had a feeling that everything would _never _be back to normal.

**-----**

**Author's closing remarks**: Thanks again to everyone who reviewed! (I'd hug you ifI could) Just a few more chapters and I should be wrapping up this story. I already have the remaining chapters planned so there won't be any 9 month intervals. Except a bit of action in the next few chapters. Afterall, Odd and Xana haven't begun their fight yet.  
If you have any questions, comments, threats, etc let me know.

See you next chapter!  
-Kadesh


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